Preinsulated pipe hanger unit



June 20, 1944. C wRiGHT 2,352,145

FEE-INSULATED PIPE-HANGER UNIT Filed March 11, 1944 Patented June 20,1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PREINSULATEl) PIPE HANGER UNIT CletusP. Wright, Cleveland, Ohio Application March 11, 1944, Serial No.526,039

9' Claims.

My invention comprises a novel form of preinsulated pipe hanger unit.

The object of my invention has been to devise a novel form of hanger forpipe line use, in conjunction with the customary insulation provided forsuch lines to prevent heat or cold losses.

To the above end my hanger is combined peculiarly with coveringinsulation sections for the pipe, the hanger itself being generally ofthe common known construction composed of a U- shaped hanger member andhanger rod supported clamp member detachably united to the U-member.

In carrying out my invention the U-member is molded permanently into, orfully embedded in, an insulation section so as to be spaced from thesupported pipe by spacing ori clamp members which reduce to a minimumthe possibility of the transmission of heat or cold losses from the pipeto the exterior of the insulation. A separate insulation section, asusual, is detachably engaged by the sides of the U-member to be clampedagainst the pipe by the customary detachable clamp plate employed inhangers of the type of my invention.

The mode of embedding my hanger in the insulation is such that either aminimum superflcial conductive contact between the hanger and pipe, orno contact, is utilized, thereby practically eliminating thepossibilityof transmission of heat and/or cold, as the case may be,fromthe pipe through the insulation sections or covering therefor.

For a full understanding of my present invention reference may be had tothe following description and accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a sectional view taken on the line ll of Figure 3, showing ametal pipe equipped with an insulation section and U-hanger of the typeof my invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken approximately on a verticalcentral line ofFigure 1, illustrating the pipe, however, in sideelevation.

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view looking downwardly, taken abouton the line 3-34of Figure 1, and showing insulation sections and pipehanger units as disposed upon a continuous length of pipe of a hightemperature or low temperature conduction line.

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the construction illustrated in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure l, but showing a modifiedadaptation of the invention.

Figure 6 is a sectional view of a fragmentary nature, taken about on theline -6 .of Figure 5.

My invention is shown in two modified forms, one illustrated in Figures1, 2, 3 and 4 of the drawing, and the other illustrated in Figures 5 and6. The first modification referred to will now be described.

The reference character A in the drawing designates a metal or similarpipe line such as used for refrigerating purposes or for conducting hightemperature fluid or gases, or liquids. It is customary to surround pipelines of the above class, where cold and heat losses are to be reducedor eliminated to the greatest. possible degree, with insulation materialof diiferent known kinds. The insulation materialis usually held inplace by metal bands, and the pipe A, along with the insulation, iscustomarily supported or hung by means of U-shaped hangers and clampscommonly known today. 1

My invention involves, as previously indicated, an improved form ofhanger means and an improved method of uniting the hanger means to theinsulation section surrounding the pipe, and by means of which thehanger devices are attached for supporting the pipe lines.

Describing the hanger device of the present invention, as improved,specifically, reference is made to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawingparticu-' larly. Here there is shown that the hanger device is composedof the U-shaped hanger I, the free ends of the sides of which arethreaded, as usual, and pass through openings in the clamp plate or yoke3. Suitable nuts 3a are designed to attach and effect clamping action ofthe member 3 in a manner commonly known in the art.

to be referred to hereinafter. The hanger device includes also thecoupling member 4 at the middle of the yoke or clamp plate 3 whichconalso conform with the contour of the upper portion of the pipe A.

The U-member I of the hanger device is embedded in the lower section 5of the insulation part at a point considerably spaced from the concaveupper, side of said section 5. For holding the curved portion of thehanger member I in said spaced relation tothe pipe A when the section isapplied to the under side of the pipe, I attach to said curved portionof the hanger member I a plurality of spacer plates designated 1. Thespacer plates 1 are formed with openings through which the member Ipasses, said openings being located near the outer ends of the spacerplates 1, and said spacer plates are formed with notched out inner endsthat provide spaced pipe-contacting feet or lugs, the latter terminatingsubstantially coincident with the concavity or concaved upper surface ofthe upper section 5. The plates 1 are preferably welded to the hangermember I at the point as illustrated in the drawing Figure l, and theuppermost of the plates 1, as seen in said figure will be observed ascountersunk in the upper side portions'of the section 5 at the facesthat abut with the lower side portions or faces of the section 6 of theinsulation members.

The hanger member I and the plates 1 will be preferably molded in thesection 5 in the formation of the same.

The upper section 6 of the insulation and hanger unit is provided withsuitable openings 6a therein located at opposite sides of the concavedportion thereof, and through which openings the spaced sides or theU-hanger member I pass, thereafter being passed through the openings inthe ends of the yoke or clamp plate 3 and united to the latter by meansof the nuts 3a.

The combined hanger and insulation unit which I have described is arather narrow section of the covering insulation for the pipe A and suchunits are disposed at intervals along the length of the pipe betweenlarger insulation covering sections 8, see Figure 3, the latter beingcustomarily held in place by clamping metal bands 9. 1

It will be observed from the foregoing that the hanger member of theunit such as I have devised and above described is spaced entirely fromthe pipe A, the only points of conductive contact between the hangermember and pipe being at the termini of the projections la of theplate 1. Under these conditions it will be evident that the possibilityof heat or cold conduction from the pipe A. and therefore correspondinglosses, is reduced to a minimum and rendered almost negligible comparedwith the use of the ordinary pipe hangers wherein the U-members directlyenage with the metal pipe A with which they are employed.

Not only do the members I perform the spacing function previouslyreferred to, but they additionally prevent the clamping action of the U-member I from mutilating the insulation materials due to pressurethereagainst, and thus tending in time to destroy the efficiency of suchmaterial. Also, the complete spacing of the U- member I from the pipe Aincident to the arrangement of the member I in both the sections 5 and 6renders almost nil the likelihood that cold, for example, will beconducted along the hanger member I through the insulation sections 5and 8 to cause collection of moisture on the external parts of thehanger members, tending to eflfect a deterioration in the integrity ofthe insulation parts or sections.

Referring now to Figures 5 and 6 of the drawing, it is noted that inthis construction of my invention, somewhat modified as compared withthe construction previously described, there are utilized on the innerside of the curved portions of the hanger I a series of insulationbearin plates III which, along with the part I, are embedded in thesection 5 of the insulation. The

plates ID are likewise welded to the inner curved portions of the memberI and they are entirely spaced from the pipe A so that no conductivecontact with the pipe is presented whatsoever. Under some conditions itwill be apparent that the use of the construction of Figures 5 and 6 maybe advantageously employed, in lieu of that first described. The mannerof assembling the parts of the hanger and insulation unit which I havegenerally designated in the drawing as B, is as follows:

The section 5 of the insulation with its embedded U-hanger member I maybe placed against the underside of the pipe A with the concave side ofthe part 5 engaging the pipe. Thereupon the upper insulation section 6is emplaced upon the hanger member I by inserting the side parts of thelatter through the openings 6a of the section 6. The clamp yoke 3 isthen placed in position and clamped down upon the section 8 by means ofthe nuts 3a and said clamp yoke may be coupled then to the hanger rod bywhich it is supported and by which the entire hanger and insulation unitB may be supported.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have devised a novel form ofcombined hanger and insulation unit which utilizes largely theconstruction of U-shaped pipe hangers heretofore employed, but involvesimprovements affording a far more advantageous use of such hangers thanhas been availed of heretofore.

It is contemplated that the members 1 and/or It may be made of anon-conductive plastic material also, thereby subserving the effectiveinsulation of the pipe A.

I am not aware that it has heretofore been proposed to make apreinsulated hanger of the type of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. An insulating pipe hanger unit comprising a lower insulation sectionto engage the under side of a pipe, a U-hanger member having its curvedT portion wholly embedded in the said section, an

upper insulation section interengaging the free ends of the U-member,and a clamping yoke plate attached to the free ends of the U-member andthus clamping the said upper section to the lower section.

2. An insulating pipe hanger unit as claimed in claim 1, in which theinsulation sections have concave portions to directly engage with apipe, and in which the hanger member is considerably spaced from thesaid concave portions of the insulation section at the points where thehanger member engages said insulation sections.

3. An insulating pipe hanger unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein thecurved portion of the U- hanger member is equipped with plates coactingto space the said portion of the hanger member from the pipe contactingportions of the insulating sections.

4. An insulating pipe hanger unit as claimed in claim 1, in which spacerplates are combined with the curved portions of the U-hanger member onthe inner sides of the said curved portions and immovably attachedthereto.

5. An insulating pipe hanger unit comprising a lower insulation sectionhaving a ooncaved portion at its upper side to engage the under side ofa pipe, a U-hanger member having its curved portion wholly embedded inthe said section in spaced relation to said concaved portion and havingits ends projecting from the upper opposite sides of said lower section,an upper insulation Section having penings therein through which thesides of the U-hanger member pass and having a concaved portion on itsunder side to fit against the upper side of a pipe, which concaveportion is spaced from said openings in the upper insulating section,and clamping means for clamping engagement with the U-hanger member andcooperating with the upper section of the insulation unit to clamp thetwo insulation sections together.

6. An insulating pipe hanger unit as claimed in claim 1, in which thereare combined with the U-hanger member a series of spacing platesdisposed radially to the curved portion of the said hanger member andextending from the latter to the pipe engaging surface of said lowerinsulation section.

7. An insulating pipe hanger unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein thereis combined with the U-hanger member a series of plates attached to theinner curved side portion on the hanger memloer and disposed parallel tothe are of curvature of said hanger member at the curved portion.

8. As a new article of manufacture, a preinsulated pipe hanger unitcomprising a body of insulation to surround a pipe, and a pipe hangermolded in said insulation body.

9. As a new article of manufacture, a preinsulated pipe hanger unitcomprising a body of insulation to surround a pipe, and a pipe hangermolded in said insulation body and spaced some distance from the portionof the insulation engageable with the pipe to be hung.

CLETUS P. WRIGHT.

